JULIE LANE PHOTO | Greenport High School seniors and Superintendent Mike Comanda bury a time capsule Friday under a sapling donated to the class by the Village Board and tree committee.

A 20-year-tradition at Greenport High School continued Friday as 56 members of the senior class buried a time capsule under a tree donated by the Village Board and its tree committee.

Custodian Tom Szczygiel gently placed the tightly sealed capsule only a few inches below ground, remembering the year he had a difficult time locating one class’s contribution years after it had been buried.

Senior class president Marvin Rodriguez, 18, who dropped the first shovel of dirt over the capsule, put in a picture of himself with two of his teachers. He also included pictures from the class senior trip to San Antonio, Texas, his learner’s permit and a 1919 50-cent coin.

For Peter Anderer, it was his senior picture, because 25 years from now, when the class unearths the capsule at a reunion, he said he wants to remember his 18-year-old self.

Caitlin McElroy, 18, wrote herself a letter, including  a list of her favorite music and the words to a song a friend wrote. She also included a script from “Grease” presented by the school’s drama club.

Along with school and village officials, members of the tree committee were on hand with chairman John Quinlan bringing along a container of water to get the tree off to a healthy start.

The tradition of dedicating a tree on campus to each year’s senior class started with former mayor and trustee George Hubbard and is carried on by his son, Trustee George Hubbard Jr., the board’s liaison to the tree committee.

greenport, Greenport High School

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